Russian Duma Bill Tightens Control of 'Foreign Agents' Income

Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, approved a bill Tuesday that increases the government's control over income received by those whom Moscow has designated as "foreign agents."

Russian law requires any person or organization receiving support from outside Russia or who Moscow says is under foreign influence to register as a "foreign agent," a label that has negative Soviet-era connotations and brings onerous bureaucratic requirements.

The bill, which the Duma passed in the third and final reading, requires "foreign agents" to transfer all income from the sale or rental of property and vehicles, as well as interest on deposits and dividends, to special rouble accounts.

It also requires such individuals to transfer to those accounts any earnings from intellectual activity, including works of science, literature and art, performances, broadcasting, inventions, and trademarks.

"The adopted law will prohibit scoundrels from enriching themselves at the expense of citizens and the country they have betrayed," Vyacheslav Volodin, the Duma's speaker, wrote on his Telegram channel Tuesday.

A total of 895 individuals and organizations are listed as foreign agents by Russia's Justice Ministry, including former billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Nobel Prize winner Dmitry Muratov, and prominent YouTube blogger Yuri Dud.